Annual Report 2018-2019 1 14 August 2019 The Hon. Jenny Mikakos MP Minister for Health Level 22, 50 Lonsdale Street Melbourne, VIC 3000 Dear Minister, We are pleased to submit, for presentation to Parliament, the annual report of The Greater Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust (GMCT) for the 12 months ending 30 June 2019. The report was endorsed at a meeting of the trust on 14 August 2019. The annual report has two sections: a report of operations and financial statements. It provides details of operational achievements, statutory information, financial statements and performance. The 2018-19 year was a positive one for GMCT — we further developed our capabilities to engage with our communities and gather customer insights, and progressed our planning activities for a new memorial park at Harkness. We are proud of the organisation’s achievements in delivering on GMCT’s Strategic Plan 2017- 2022. This plan focuses on community connections, lasting stewardship, operational excellence and change-ready agility under the theme ‘stepping up, reaching beyond’. In line with our commitment to sustainability, limited printed copies of this annual report are available. The full report can be sourced online at www.gmct.com.au/about-us/annual-report Regards, Geoff Mabbett Deb Ganderton Chair Interim Chief Executive Officer 2 Contents About GMCT 4 About this report Our vision, mission, values, purpose 4 The Greater Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust Annual Our key stakeholders 5 Report 2018–2019 provides information about the trust’s governance, objectives, functions, Our cemeteries and memorial parks 6 performance and achievements. Chair and chief executive officer report 8 The report highlights GMCT’s work throughout the Strategic Plan 2018-2023 10 year and includes information about management, operations, infrastructure and planning, workforce, At a glance 11 sector leadership, stakeholder engagement and Performance report 12 financial operations. It includes a joint report from Financial comparative analysis 13 the chair and chief executive officer. Community connections 14 The annual report is a statutory obligation under the Cemeteries and Crematoria Act 2003. It complies Highlights 15 with financial reporting directions and meets Community advisory committee the requirements outlined in the model report of 16 – chair’s report operations. The GMCT annual report is tabled in the Victorian Parliament before being released. Events and community engagement 17 Lasting stewardship 18 This report covers the financial year ended 30 June 2019. Highlights 19 Environmental sustainability 20 Operational excellence 22 Responsible bodies declaration In accordance with the Financial Management Act 1994, Highlights 23 I am pleased to present the report of operations for Occupational health and safety 24 The Greater Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust (GMCT) for the year ending 30 June 2019. Change-ready agility 26 Highlights 27 Workforce 28 Staff awards and recognition 30 The organisation 32 Geoff Mabbett Trust at a glance 32 Chair Organisational structure 33 The Greater Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust Trust members 34 Fawkner, Victoria Trust and committee meetings 35 attendance 14 August 2019 Reporting to government 36 Management committees and To receive this publication in an accessible 38 staff leadership format phone 1300 022 298 using the Consultancies 40 National Relay Service 13 36 77 if required, Attestations, compliance and disclosures 42 or email [email protected] Chief finance officer report 44 Except where otherwise indicated, the images in this publication show models and illustrative settings only, and do not Financial statements 45 necessarily depict actual services, facilities or recipients of services. Independent auditor’s report 47 Victorian Auditor-General’s Office Available at www.gmct.com.au/about-us/annual-report/ Disclosure index 94 Printed by Doran Printing, Braeside 3 About GMCT The Greater Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust oversees 19 cemeteries and memorial parks spanning 600 hectares of open public space. We are committed to caring for these reflective and peaceful places in perpetuity to preserve and protect the memories and history they hold. Our belief in caring for the community with dignity and kindness underpins all our work at The Greater Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust. With compassion and respect, we help more than 12,000 families of all cultures and faiths each year. The Greater Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust is a designated Class A cemetery trust under the Cemeteries and Crematoria Act 2003. Established on 1 March 2010, GMCT was formed following the consolidation of eight cemetery trusts. Those trusts were in Altona, Andersons Creek, Fawkner, Keilor, Lilydale, Preston, Templestowe and Wyndham. GMCT is a body corporate with perpetual succession established by the Governor in Council pursuant to regulations under the Cemeteries Act 1958 and updated within the Cemeteries and Crematoria Act 2003. GMCT is governed by a board comprising remunerated trust members appointed by state government. The trust sets the organisation’s strategic direction, approves the annual budget, monitors performance, ensures compliance, develops policy, undertakes high-level stakeholder management and ensures a risk management framework is in place. Our vision Lasting memories, peaceful places. Our purpose Our mission The Greater Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust provides We provide the final care for your loved ones, with cremation, burial and interment services for dignity and kindness. We respect all peoples, our Melbourne’s diverse communities. heritage, our communities and the environment. Our 19 cemeteries and memorial parks have strong connections with the local communities they serve. Our values We are committed to maintaining these peaceful and — Compassion historically-rich places and ensuring they remain sustainable for generations to come. — Respect — Sustainability — Integrity 4 Our key stakeholders GMCT’s diverse range of stakeholders includes the local communities we serve, government, our staff and the funeral and cemetery sectors. We greatly value the relationships we build together with these stakeholders and the positive contributions each makes to our organisation. Suppliers Class B Customers cemeteries Local councils Employees Regulatory authorities Special interest and religious groups Stonemasons and business partners Local communities Historical societies Funeral directors and celebrants Local residents The Victorian Government 5 GMCT cemeteries and memorial parks 19 18 7 20 12 10 6 13 8 4 2 9 14 11 21 15 1 MELBOURNE 17 3 16 5 Corporate head office Regional office GMCT sites Greenfield sites Cemetery lifecycle 1 2 A number of GMCT cemeteries have been serving Concept Establishment the local community for more than 150 years. Today GMCT manages 21 sites including two The initial identification Planning for the greenfield sites allocated for cemetery use under of need or opportunity development of new the Victorian Government Gazette. About one third and identification and greenfield sites and of the cemeteries managed by GMCT are either in acquisition of new land acquired land. a state of perpetual maintenance or have almost for cemetery use. reached peak capacity. The text at right explains the cemetery lifecycle. 6 SITE REGION LAND SIZE (ha) LIFECYCLE STAGE 1 Altona Memorial Park West 53.3 Active 2 Andersons Creek Cemetery East 3.3 Transitional 3 Burwood Cemetery East 6 Transitional Transitional- 4 Coburg Pine Ridge Cemetery North 10.3 Perpetual 5 Emerald Cemetery East 2 Active-Transitional 6 Fawkner Memorial Park North 111 Active 7 Healesville Cemetery East 3.6 Active-Transitional 8 Keilor Cemetery West 14 Active Transitional- 9 Lilydale Lawn Cemetery East 4.5 Perpetual 10 Lilydale Memorial Park East 36.3 Active 11 Northcote Cemetery North 0.4 Perpetual 12 Northern Memorial Park North 98.4 Establishment-Active 13 Preston Cemetery North 9.5 Active-Transitional Transitional- 14 Templestowe Cemetery East 3.9 Perpetual 15 Truganina Cemetery West 1.6 Perpetual 16 Werribee Cemetery West 5.6 Active-Transitional 17 Williamstown Cemetery West 11.4 Active-Transitional 18 Yarra Glen Cemetery East 2 Active-Transitional 19 Plenty Valley North 83.2 Establishment 20 Harkness West 128.6 Establishment 21 Footscray Cemetery* West 11 Perpetual *GMCT operates and maintains this cemetery on behalf of Maribyrnong City Council 3 4 5 Active Transitional Perpetual The operation of Lessening requirement Cemeteries with cemeteries that have for infrastructure, minimal space high visitation and continued but declining available and low interments and a wide interment and services, visitation rates, range of services. medium visitation. requiring ongoing maintenance and a focus on heritage. 7 Chair and chief executive officer report With Melbourne’s population forecast to reach Putting the customer first 8 million by 20511, the diverse communities that Central to the program of work we’ve undertaken make up our city will continue to evolve over the this year – whether designing systems, processes, next 30 years and beyond. We are stepping up customer experiences, or entire cemetery to meet this long-term challenge by listening landscapes – our organisational culture is firmly focused on ensuring we continue to listen and adapt, to our communities and continually changing in keeping the customer at the heart of everything response to emerging needs. we do. 2018-19 was another busy year at GMCT, with In 2019 we undertook comprehensive community an estimated